Let Me Fall
by strangled lies
Summary: When Severus is forced to show his true identity to a student, who will it be? Potter. The Hayistiyo potion has made Severus look the greasy, old git, but underneath the neccessary cover, what is he truly like? Is he capable of love?


                Okay, this is – different. Gonna be HP/SS eventually, and I'm guessing that you'll be able to figure out the plot after this chapter; Should I continue?  
  
                **Disclaimer – I own nothing here except the Potion and plotline. All characters are _not_ mine.**  
  
                Being called to the headmasters office on a cold and dreary day didn't excite Severus Snape.  
                "Yes, Severus, come in, we have some matters to discuss."

                "How are you, Albus? " Dumbledore eyed Snape carefully.  
                "Just fine – just fine. Severus, I'll make this short. You've been using Hayistiyo for many years now, around 20. To be able to continue your usage of it, you'll need to show yourself to a student and have them report back to the Ministry that you are still – you know."

                "Albus, that's insane! I can't show myself to anyone!"

                "Severus, I do not make the rules, I just abide by them. Please, follow my ways."

                Snape sighed. "Yes, yes, I'll find someone – good day then, Albus."

_                Good bloody God_, Severus though, going to his dungeons to teach Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Harry blinked slowly as he tried to stay awake during Potions.

                "What goes in next, Neville?"

                "Bloody hell…" Neville whispered to himself. "I've got no clue. Hold on." Neville squinted to see the board up front. "Oh, yeah, Haminen Juice. Ugh, blimey, that smells." Harry responded with a non-committal grunt.

                "Who can tell me what this potion is used for?" Hermione's hand shot up, but Harry didn't look. He knew the answer, too. He knew it by heart, actually - the full page and a half of it; but why raise his hand? _He wouldn't call on me, anyway. _

                "Ah, Mr. Potter. Do you know this answer?" Harry's head snapped up. _Holy - that was weird._

                "Yes, sir."

                "…Go on! Tell us!"

                Harry sighed. "_This complex potion, called the Hayistiyo Potion for an unknown reason, is much like the Polyjuice Potion, with many exceptions otherwise. If you take it once a month, you keep a certain, specified outisde figure. You remain the age that you were when you first took the potion, and if you stop taking it, or take the counter potion, you return to your normal state. Changes include hair and face, but not personality and actions._ Well, that's the page and a half summarized, sorry."

                "No, Potter. That was actually – good," Snape said, surprising himself, even. Hermione was wide eyed, and gaping, while Ron was cleaning up the inkbottle he'd spilled.

                "Er, thank you."

                "Continue making the potions, now."

                Harry and Neville kept at it, trying not to mess up. Harry was only half there – he was barely awake. _Blood loss can do that to a person, you know_, Harry thought. Pouring in some frog blood, Harry continued on his conversation with his conscience.

                _Do you really think that losing a little blood would make up for all the people you killed?_

_                I-I didn't kill anyone._

_                Mum, Dad, Cedric, all those other muggles who you couldn't save in time…and your _last connection_ – you fucked that one up too, didn't you boy. Sirius Black. Just couldn't let him rest, without worrying about your sorry ass, could you?_

_                It was Kreacher's fault._

_                Right – Kreacher's fault._

"Harry – _Harry_ – We need more rose thorns. Could you get some? I'm still stirring."

                "Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure." Harry walked to the supply cabinet and reached up to the top shelf to get the thorns.

                _God, _why_ does the unit have to be about Hayistiyo? Is Albus _trying_ to blow my cover? Ha! Look at Longbottom working over there – poor boy…ah – Potter – vulnerable as ever.  
                He has seemed a bit out of it since the beginning of this term – not to worry, I'll find out what's going on,_ Severus thought, while checking over student's potions.

                "Who can tell me what this potion is used for?" Hermiones hand went up, as usual, but Snape paid no mind. "Ah, Mr. Potter. Do you know this answer? _Looks like I scared the kid, great._

                "Yes, sir."

                "…Go on! Tell us!"

                "_This complex potion, called the Hayistiyo Potion for an unknown reason, is much like the Polyjuice Potion, with many exceptions otherwise. If you take it once a month, you keep a certain, specified outisde figure. You remain the age that you were when you first took the potion, and if you stop taking it, or take the counter potion, you return to your normal state. Changes include hair and face, but not personality and actions._ Well, that's the page and a half summarized, sorry."

                _Bloody hell – where does he get the time to study all of that?_

                "No, Potter. That was actually – good," Snape countered.

                "Er, thanks."

                "Continue making the potions, now."

                _Lord, this is really bothering me. Albus did say that I was going to have to show myself to one student to allow the Ministy to let me keep using Hayistiyo…Its been more then 20 years…who can I tell? All of these student are in cliques these days – except – Potter._

_                Potter._

_                No bloody way._


End file.
